Raps show heart in loss to Grizzlies

You can question the talent but certainly not the heart of this group of Raptors.

Not when they fielded a lineup that resembled a minor league all-star team on Monday night against the Memphis Grizzlies, yet hung around right until the dying seconds in a devastating

100-98 loss.

The defeat was the squad's eighth in a row and 15th in 18 games and to make matters worse, Toronto's NBA record streak of 986 games with a made three-point shot came to an end in the process.

Guts it out

The Raptors were minus Jose Calderon, Leandro Barbosa, Linas Kleiza, Joey Dorsey and Reggie Evans, while Sonny Weems gutted out nine minutes, which made for some interesting floor combinations for the second game in a row.

Impressively, though, the Raptors hung around all evening, tying the game with 18.1 seconds remaining on a Jerryd Bayless driving layup.

Bayless was outstanding with 15 points, 11 assists and eight rebounds. Andrea Bargnani led the Raptors with 29 points.

Rudy Gay's turnaround jumper with 0.8 seconds left hit nothing but mesh, allowing the Grizzlies to pull out the win.

Though disappointed, the Raptors were proud of their effort in trying circumstances.

"We're obviously in an emergency situation - we were in (it) the whole game," Bargnani said.

Pointing to the many empty lockers in the dressing room, he continued: "It's like there's been a war in here ... but that's the way it is, you have to try to stay positive."

Bargnani also lamented the end of the three-point streak.

"It's not the main focus, but it was nice to have it," he said.

Two debilitating constants all year - an inability to take care of the ball and league-worst shooting from outside resurfaced.

Toronto had twice as many turnovers as the Grizzlies in the first half and missed all 13 threes on the night while Memphis nailed four.

As the Raptors - forced to play five former D-Leaguers against the Grizz - stumble through these dark days, progress, at least is apparent in the forms of young DeMar DeRozan and Davis.

DeRozan's play has taken off this month. He has posted an impressive 19.5 points per game on 47.5% shooting in a dozen 2011 contests and is fifth in scoring among all sophomores.

DeRozan stormed out of the gate with 10 first quarter points and finished with 25.

Davis stepped up with five blocks and has also turned it on in January, looking aggressive and proficient on the glass, intimidating in the lane, and efficient inside.

Holds his own

Davis held his own in the low-post with Memphis bruisers Zach Randolph and Marc Gasol at times defensively and when was the last time any Raptors big man could say that?

Each still has a lot to work on - offence in Davis' case, defence in DeRozan's - but they are solid building blocks going forward, Davis has risen near the top of several categories among rookies and appears to be learning from all of the losses.

"We don't say moral victories (but) ... one game the tables will turn and we'll be the ones to get the stop or hit the tough shot," Davis said.

"If we keep playing like that, the future is going to be bright," echoed Bayless.